2014 was a record-setting year by many business metrics for the biotechnology industry. The volume of initial public offerings by venture-backed life science companies was high, mergers and acquisitions were robust, and private fundraising was strong, particularly for diagnostics companies positioned in the vibrant big data/digital health area. “The unprecedented IPO and M&A activity this year will make 2014 one for the record books and unlikely to ever be surpassed,” says G. Steven Burrill, founder of the bio tech investing firm Burrill & Co. and publisher of the Burrill Report. “While we expect 2015 to be another strong year for the sector with robust financial markets and dealmaking, we do expect financing activity to slow as companies put to work all of the money that’s been raised. …. Attention will shift away from the promise of companies to how well they execute.” DTET examined the most significant transactions of 2014 to identify trends that will impact the financial health of the industry in the upcoming year. Initial Public Offering Venture-backed life science initial public offerings (IPOs) far exceeded tech IPOs in terms of quantity in 2014, with the top 20 life science exits of 2014 valued at $12.1 billion, according […]